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Call Someone – Without Having To Talk To Them

Posted by timothy on from the whole-new-way-to-get-ignored dept.

waderoush writes "After a long beta period, Boston-based MobileSphere launched a 'straight-to-voicemail' service yesterday called Slydial. If you call 267-SLY-DIAL and listen to a short ad, you can then be connected to the voicemail inbox of any US mobile phone subscriber, without causing their phone to ring. Sounds kinda useful — but incredibly, MobileSphere is pitching the service as a way to avoid actually communicating with all those difficult, boring people in your life. In reply to suggestions that Slydial erodes and cheapens genuine human interaction, a MobileSphere exec says the company is just combating technology with technology, by helping people take control of whether and when to talk with their friends, family, and coworkers."

10 of 413 comments (clear)

  1. Pound? by oahazmatt · · Score: 4, Informative

    Typically, can't you just hit # on most systems and go straight to the voicemail? It worked that way on two of my previous mobiles.

    --
    Those who believe the Internet is private,
    find their privates are on the Internet.
    1. Re:Pound? by Scotteh · · Score: 5, Informative

      Their phone would ring too. This service is supposed to avoid that.

      This feature would probably be most useful if you know the person can't be disturbed (ie. they're in a meeting). You could just slydial them and leave a nice descriptive message.

    2. Re:Pound? by arunkv · · Score: 5, Informative

      Their phone would ring too. This service is supposed to avoid that.

      I just tested out SlyDial against my cell phone and the phone did ring once. The caller ID also revealed the number as the one I used to call SlyDial. Not so sly after all.

  2. you can do this with ATT and maybe other providers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    If you are on at&t and so are they, just check your own voicemail, and in the options, you can leave a message for a phone number. I haven't tried it from AT&T to other providers yet.

  3. Re:I hate voice mail by JCSoRocks · · Score: 2, Informative

    Why does it cost you money? Are you retrieving it from your cell phone only? You know that you can just call your cell phone number and then hit "#" and then your password and just listen to it that way... right? I've been able to do that on the last three carriers I've been on. It's worth a try if you haven't already tried it.

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    You are using English. Please learn the difference between loose and lose; they're, there, and their; your and you're.
  4. It is nothing new at all, very old in fact by dreamchaser · · Score: 2, Informative

    Most corporate voicemail packages have allowed exactly this, internal to the organization of course, for many years. It's not a new idea, and it does have its uses.

    1. Re:It is nothing new at all, very old in fact by pluther · · Score: 3, Informative

      Not just corporate voicemail packages either.

      With my old cell phone (AT&T), you could dial the voicemail number, escape from your voicemail (#+Something) and leave a message for any other AT&T customer.

      You could also set up groups and leave the same voicemail for several people at once. I think you had to pay extra for that feature, but I never tried using it.

      --
      If the masses can keep you down, you're not the Ubermensch.
  5. Verizon by Bodero · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually, this can already be done on Verizon Wireless to Verizon Wireless calls, and maybe AT&T as well.

    Dial your OWN voicemail, then once you get to the main menu, hit option 2 to send a message. It then asks you for the 10 digit mailbox number (which is the subscriber's phone number with area code), it says their recorded name, and allows you to leave a voicemail.

    I've used this to try to determine who called me if they don't leave a message - the system will play their recorded clip of them reading their name.

    1. Re:Verizon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Pretty sure that only works for the network you're on: Verizon to Verizon or ATT to ATT

  6. Re:At last! by jeepien · · Score: 2, Informative

    The tunnel dodge doesn't work here. I can get on a train, go under the Hudson, and end up at Penn Station in Manhattan, and have five bars all the way, on VZW.